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PricingAboutSupportThis and That זה וזאת
Hebrew points with זה for a masculine thing, זאת or זו for a feminine thing, and אלה for more than one. The same words also work as a copula: זה ספר means this is a book.
Use זה with masculine singular, זאת or זו with feminine singular, and אלה with a plural; after a definite noun they follow it as הספר הזה.
זה (ze) is masculine singular this. זאת (zot) is feminine singular this; זו (zo) is a very common spoken variant of the same slot. אלה (ele) covers these for both genders in ordinary speech. Learn זה / זאת / אלה as the first triangle.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Use |
|---|---|---|
| זה | ze | this (masculine singular) |
| זאת | zot | this (feminine singular) |
| זו | zo | this (feminine singular, common in speech) |
| אלה | ele | these (plural) |
Before a noun, זה and זאת identify: זה ספר, זאת דירה. After a definite noun they modify: הספר הזה, הדירה הזאת, הילדים האלה. The after-noun pattern needs ה on the noun. Mixing the two frames is how you get a sentence when you wanted a phrase.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| זה ספר | ze sefer | This is a book. | |
| זאת דירה | zot dira | This is an apartment. | |
| הספר הזה | ha-sefer ha-ze | this book | |
| הדירה הזאת | ha-dira ha-zot | this apartment |
Textbook Hebrew has ההוא, ההיא, ההם, and ההן after a definite noun for that and those. They sound more pointed or more formal than זה. In everyday talk people often stretch זה / זאת / אלה to cover near and far and add a gesture. You still need ההוא for reading and for contrast.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| האיש ההוא | ha-ish ha-hu | that man | |
| האישה ההיא | ha-isha ha-hi | that woman | |
| הילדים ההם | ha-yeladim ha-hem | those children |
מה זה is the default what is this / what is that. מי זה asks who that is, often about a man or a mixed unknown; מי זאת can point at a woman. The answer usually starts with the matching demonstrative or with a name.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| מה זה? | ma ze? | What is this? | |
| מי זאת? | mi zot? | Who is that (woman)? |
Exceptions
זה with a Feminine Noun in Casual Speech
You will hear זה דירה. Standard Hebrew wants זאת דירה or זו דירה. Keep the agreement in writing and in class; recognize the mismatch when you hear it. Teachers still mark זה plus a feminine noun as an error.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| זאת בעיה | zot be'aya | This is a problem. (standard) |
זו vs זאת
זו is short and common after a noun: השמלה הזו. זאת is common in identification: זאת השמלה. Both are feminine singular. You do not need a meaning difference; you need to recognize both spellings.
Common Mistakes
זה דירה → זאת דירה
דירה is feminine; identification takes זאת (or זו), not זה.
ספר זה → הספר הזה
As a modifier, זה follows a definite noun: הספר הזה.
הילדות הזה → הילדות האלה
Plural nouns take אלה, not זה.
Go on to
Personal Pronouns
Hebrew personal pronouns mark person, gender, and number. You need them most in the present tense, where the verb does not tell you who the subject is.
A1 · 10 minAdjective Agreement
A Hebrew adjective sits after its noun and copies three things: gender, number, and definiteness. Learn one adjective as a four-form set, not as a single English-style word.
A1 · 12 minQuestion Words
Israeli yes-no questions are often just a statement with rising pitch, but content questions open with a small closed set: מַה, מִי, אֵיפֹה, מָתַי, לָמָּה, אֵיךְ, כַּמָּה. Formal writing may add הַאִם in front of a yes-no question.
A1 · 10 minPrevious and Next
Frequently Asked Questions
What level is "This and That"?
This and That is A1 in baba's grammar order, and takes about 8 minutes to work through.
What's the short rule for this and that?
Use זה with masculine singular, זאת or זו with feminine singular, and אלה with a plural; after a definite noun they follow it as הספר הזה.